Finland's government has declined to propose the creation of 12 new national parks, rejecting a key recommendation from an expert working group aimed at halting biodiversity loss. Environment and Climate Minister Sari Multala cited the state's poor financial situation and an ongoing assessment of the current park network as reasons for the decision, marking a pause in a half-century tradition of park establishment.
"Right now, it is not our intention to propose the establishment of new national parks," Minister Sari Multala of the National Coalition Party said. "The aim is to ensure we have the preconditions to develop the current network and to thoughtfully consider its expansion in the future." Multala prioritized improving existing parks, stating the government's focus was on developing nature diversity work and recreational opportunities within current protected areas.
The Working Group's Ambitious Vision
The Luonnonmetsä (Natural Forest) working group, tasked with developing Finland's national park network, proposed establishing 12 new parks and expanding 18 existing ones. The group's report argued these new protected areas are geographically and ecologically necessary to fill gaps in the current network. It stated they are essential for Finland to meet its international commitments to stop biodiversity loss. The proposed parks would represent a significant increase from the country's current 41 national parks.
Philosophy Doctor Risto Sulkava, a representative of the working group, emphasized the critical need for more large-scale protected areas. "More extensive conservation areas are needed to stop nature loss in Finland," Sulkava said, highlighting the scientific consensus behind the proposals. The working group's plan was designed as a direct response to the accelerating rate of species decline and habitat degradation observed across the country.
A Pause After Decades of Expansion
Minister Multala's decision represents a notable break from precedent. Over the last 50 years, nearly every Finnish government has established its own national parks. This continuous expansion built the network into a cornerstone of Finnish nature conservation and a major attraction for both domestic and international tourism. The halt comes amid broader government austerity measures and spending cuts across several ministries.
Multala pointed to a pending evaluation by Metsähallitus, the state-owned enterprise managing national parks and other state lands, as another reason for delay. She stated that a review of the current network's condition must be completed before any expansion can be contemplated. "As everyone surely knows, the state's financial situation is not very good," Multala said, framing the decision as one of fiscal necessity and prioritized stewardship of existing valuable nature.
Innovative Financing Models on the Table
While rejecting the immediate creation of new parks, Minister Multala did signal openness to one of the working group's innovative proposals. She described as "worth considering" a new funding model that would allow private actors to participate. A central proposal in the working group's report was the possibility of incorporating private land into national park protection areas at the landowner's request.
The working group suggested reforms to park financing, cost-sharing, and maintenance methods. This model could potentially unlock conservation on privately-held lands of high natural value, creating a hybrid system of protection. However, without state initiative and funding to establish the core new parks, the potential for such private partnerships remains largely theoretical in the short term.